Lobelia plant named ‘Balwalila’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Balwalila’, characterized by its violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage; and vigorous, compact-mounded, semi-trailing growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Lobelia erinus.

Variety denomination: ‘Balwalila’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobeliaplant botanically known as Lobelia erinus and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balwalila’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Südlohn,Germany during the summer of 2002. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Lobelia cultivars with unique flower colorationand a vigorous, mounded, and semi-trailing growth habit.

The new Lobelia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Lobelia erinusbreeding selection designated 02P616, not patented, characterized by itspink-colored flowers, small, fine dark green-colored foliage, and loose,moderately vigorous growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the newcultivar is the proprietary Lobelia erinus breeding selection designated02P508, not patented, characterized by its large intensely blue-coloredflowers, dark green-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The newcultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant withinthe progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during the spring of2003 in a controlled environment at Südlohn, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sincelate summer 2003 at Südlohn, Germany has demonstrated that the newcultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, asherein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balwalila’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Lobelia plant:

-   -   1. Violet-colored flowers;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Vigorous, compact-mounded, semi-trailing growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color, foliage size, and growth habit and fromplants of the male parent primarily in flower size, flower color, leafsize, and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Lobelia cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is‘Wespinstar’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,963. However, in side by sidecomparison conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new cultivardiffer from plants of ‘Wespinstar’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Wespinstar’.    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have shorter pedicles than plants        of ‘Wespinstar’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from        plants of ‘Wespinstar’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balwalila’. Theplants were grown in 12 cm pots for 27 weeks in a greenhouse at Südlohn,Germany.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balwalila’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balwalila’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined during the week of Aug. 28,2006 under natural light conditions is Südlohn, Germany.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a glass-coveredgreenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercialpractice. The plants were grown one plant per 12 cm pot or three plantsper 25 cm hanging basket for 27 weeks utilizing a soilless growthmedium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 68° F.to 77° F. (20° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 61° F. to65° F. (16° C. to 18° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of3,000 lux to 50,000 lux were maintained during the day. Plants werepinched twice during the production period by removing about 1 to 2 cmof the uppermost apical growing tip.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia erinus cultivar Balwalila.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Lobelia erinus breeding selection            designated 02P616, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Lobelia erinus breeding selection            designated 02P508, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 14 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28            days, with approximately 3 to 4 additional days during            winter months.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 16 to 20 weeks to            produce a 12 cm basket from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous,            compact-mounded, semi-trailing.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 15 to 18 cm. Width: Approximately 39 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching, pinching improves            habit. Quantity of lateral branches per plant: Approximately            one per node.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square. Strength: Strong, flexible. Length:            Approximately 18.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.7 mm.            Length of central internode: Approximately 1.2 cm. Texture:            Glabrous. Color of young and mature stems: 147A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture of upper surface:            Glabrous, satiny. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous, dull.            Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with venation            of 137B. Color of lower surface of young foliage: 137C with            venation of 137D. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:            147A with venation of 147B. Color of lower surface of mature            foliage: Between 147B and 147C with venation of between 147C            and 147D.        -   Lower leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Attenuate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 4.0 cm.            Width of mature leaf: Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Mid-plant leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape:            Elliptic. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.            Length of mature leaf: Approximately 2.5 cm. Width of mature            leaf: Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Upper leaves.—Aspect: Obtuse angle to stem. Shape: Linear.            Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Sessile. Length of mature            leaf: Approximately 1.9 cm. Width of mature leaf:            Approximately 4.0 mm.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balwalila’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment. Flowers are persistent. Older            flowers are overgrown by new flower and foliage.        -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Loose raceme. Fragrance: None.            Length or height: Approximately 12.5 cm. Width:            Approximately 4 to 5 cm. Quantity of fully open flowers per            inflorescence: Approximately 8 to 10. Quantity of fully open            flowers per lateral stem: Approximately 10 to 15.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Length: Approximately            11.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glaborous.            Color: 147A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Solitary at lateral apices, zygomorphic, bilabiate.            Flowers are resupinate because of a half twist in the            pedicel. Aspect: Outward facing.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 1 to 2 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per            lateral stem: Approximately 6.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:            Approximately 8.6 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.9 mm. Color:            193B combined with 182D at tip, 193B in center, and 145D at            base.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate having an upper lip of two narrow            petals and a lower lip of three petals. Petals are fused at            the base forming a tube that is split between the two upper            petals. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.8 cm.        -   Petals.—Upper petals: Quantity: 2. Shape: Spatulate. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Cuspidate. Length from throat: Approximately            5.2 mm. Width: Approximately 1.9 mm. Lower petals:            Quantity: 3. Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire. Apex: Mucronate.            Length from throat: Approximately 1.2 cm. Width:            Approximately 5.6 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous,            satiny. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous, dull. Color of            upper surface when first open: N80A. Color of lower surface            when first open: 76D. Color of upper surface when fully            open: N80B with age fading to N80A. Color of lower surface            when fully open: 76C with age fading to 76B. Throat: 155C            with two streaks of 144A and spots of N81A.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 6.9 mm. Diameter at            base: Approximately 2.3 mm. Diameter at throat:            Approximately 3.5 mm. Color: 76D with two stripes of 144B.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl, star-shaped calyx.            Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape: Linear. Apex:            Acute. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width: Approximately            1.3 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.            Color of upper and lower surfaces: 147A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Wiry, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to            stem. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately            less than 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 147A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5 per            flower, anthers and upper half of filaments connate.            Filament length: approximately 4.5 mm. Filament color:            Ranges from 84A through 84D. Anther shape: Linear. Anther            length: Approximately 2.1 mm. Anther width: Approximately            1.1 mm. Anther color: N187A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 9A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil            length: Approximately 8.5 mm. Stigma shape: Bilobed, ovoid.            Stigma color: N77A with white pubescence transitioning as            matures to 176B. Style length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Style            color: 144B. Ovary color: Between 137A and 137B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed not fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Lobelia has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the Lobelia have been observed to    tolerate low temperatures of 5 to 8° C. and to be moderately    resistant to high temperatures.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Balwalila’,substantially as herein shown and described.